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Waste is a common challenge for health care organizations, no matter their size. Waste is complex and expensive to manage. Hospitals produce more than 5 million tons of waste each year.
Hospitals generate over 29 pounds of waste per bed per day. A waste plan is critical for any sustainability programming.
Every hospital is challenged by the complexity of health care waste and limited recycling and management options. Recycling isn’t enough. Member hospitals who look upstream by studying incoming material and then reduce both inputs and outputs together see greater reductions in total… Read More
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Plant-Forward Future Health care systems have partnered with local producers and food processors to source plant-based protein ingredients and products especially suited for health care in your region.
These materials designed by Practice Greenhealth will help you market these delicious, hearty, and locally available foods.
We're also offering guidance and support on menuing and marketing these unique foods along with strategies for replicating this model. Join a plant-based protein innovation project in your region.
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For more than 20 years, the Environmental Excellence Awards have helped health care sustainability programs in the United States and Canada grow and demonstrate their worth. This program enables Practice Greenhealth to gather sustainability data, identify leaders, and show just how impactful sustainability work in the health care sector is. Participating facilities use the application process as a source of new ideas to grow their programs and receive personalized reports that compare their facility's sustainability data to their peers'.
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The imperative
The Lancet Commission characterized climate change as both the “biggest global health threat” and the “greatest global health opportunity” of the 21st century. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2018 report, we need to cut emissions in half by 2030 and get to net-zero emissions by 2050 to keep warming to 1.5°C and avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change.
Solving health problems always starts with setting a goal. Establishing a leadership-endorsed, ambitious target motivates staff and helps drive strategies and resources for success… Read More
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Practice Greenhealth’s 20 years of experience developing policy and programs for sustainable health care practices has guided our creation of tools and resources that empower hospitals to reduce both the costs and environmental impacts of caring for their community’s health needs.
Based on input from our members, we’ve made sure our resources capture the best practices and challenges at every stage of a program’s development and include practical guidance for:
Setting baselines
Identifying goals
Achieving stakeholder support
Implementing practice
Measuring and reporting… Read More
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Practice Greenhealth’s network includes health care leaders and sustainability experts around the United States. If you are looking for story ideas on health care sustainability, or would like to speak with one of our in-house experts or one of our member facilities, please contact press@practicegreenhealth.org.
Membership inquiries
If you work for a Practice Greenhealth member facility, the best way to get in touch is directly through your member engagement specialist. If you are interested in your facility joining Practice Greenhealth, please contact join@practicegreenhealth.org.
Other… Read More
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Establishing goals that align with overarching organizational strategy and rely upon data collection for benchmarking allows hospitals to generate the deep insights they need to guide their sustainability initiatives and improve resource efficiency.
The adoption of SMART goals has gained traction in health care in recent years. Health systems find including data governance in the goal setting process leads to improved alignment of goals with the overarching organizational mission, garners leadership buy-in, and allows for tracking progress against goals.
One-hundred percent of the 2023… Read More
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“By working collaboratively, it is possible to drive innovative solutions to reduce the environmental footprint of health care, while also reducing costs for both suppliers and purchasers.”
– Elizabeth Eldridge, Kaiser Permanente director of sustainable sourcing
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Hospitals and health care facilities generate a staggering amount of plastic waste each year resulting in equally large disposal costs and environmental impacts.
Kaiser Permanente’s environmental services and waste management teams discovered a waste and plastic reduction… Read More
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Making climate action simple and deliciousThe Coolfood Pledge helps dining facilities – from hotels and restaurants to universities, schools, hospitals, and workplace cafeterias – cut their food-related greenhouse gas emissions by increasing and improving their plant-forward menu options.Why pledge?We make it easy The most comprehensive program addressing GHG emissions from food.All the data Data-driven with results you can see.Tailored to you Individualized technical assistanceIncluded Available at no cost for Practice Greenhealth partner hospitals (a $5,000 annual value). Participating… Read More
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Sterilants and disinfectants used on surfaces, medical devices, and all items that come in contact with patients are an absolute necessity for infection control in any hospital.
The two most commonly used sterilants and disinfectants for medical devices in health care also have unwanted side effects for the health care workers who use them. They are:
ethylene oxide, a known human carcinogen; and
glutaraldehyde, with reported side effects experienced by health care workers, such as breathing difficulties, rashes, headaches and nosebleeds.
Both the use and disposal of toxic sterilants… Read More
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Join Practice Greenhealth
Practice Greenhealth is the health care sector’s go-to source for information, tools, data, resources, and expert technical support on sustainability initiatives that help hospitals and health systems meet their health, financial, and community goals.
Who We Are
Practice Greenhealth is the leading sustainable health care organization, delivering environmental solutions to more than 1,500 hospitals and health systems in the United States and Canada. Partnership opportunities include hospitals, health systems, community health organizations, NGOs, nonprofits, government, academic institutions, and the health care value chain.